


Equinox

by phyrestorm



Category: Starfighter (Comic)
Genre: Badasses Being Sweet, Birthday, Boyfriends, I started this when we still thought Cain gave a shit about Deimos, M/M, birthday surprise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-22
Updated: 2016-07-06
Packaged: 2018-07-16 14:01:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7271173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phyrestorm/pseuds/phyrestorm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Birthdays don't mean much to me.  Another year of survival, I guess.  Cain's the only one who even knows when it is, and he's in a snit about not being my only friend anymore.</p><p>So when someone starts banging on my door...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dokidokibaka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dokidokibaka/gifts).



Birthdays don't mean much to me. Another year of survival, I guess. Cain's the only one who even knows when it is, and he's in a snit about not being my only friend anymore.

So when someone starts banging on my door, I assume it's my Navigator's oaf of a boyfriend. Apparently Phobos thinks so too, because he drags himself out of his bunk below me and stomps to the door, whining about how he TOLD Porthos he was busy.

Whoever it is keeps banging, then accidentally-on-purpose raps Phobos on the forehead when the door slides open.

"OW! HEY! Stupid Fighter!"

"Fuck off, bitch. Myshonok, get your scrawny ass out here."

I hop down from my top bunk and slip out the door before Phobos can think of a comeback.

Cain starts walking and I fall into step beside him. I know he wants me to ask where we're going. He's still mad, so he's trying to make me talk, and then he won't even answer the question. But, as usual, he's forgotten that not everyone is as impatient as he is. Especially not me.

So we walk in silence. Until, as usual, he's the one who breaks first, stops suddenly and gets all up in my space. 

Once, I would have either backed away or gazed up at him like a goddamn swooning idiot, hoping this was the time he'd finally kiss me. Now, though, I stand my ground and raise an eyebrow at him.

He looks unsure for just an instant before raking his eyes over me with a cocky grin.

"24, huh? You look more like 14. Almost a quarter of a fucking century and you're still a little mouse."

I smile as he punches my arm affectionately and starts walking again. Being underestimated is one of my most useful talents, and we both know this mouse has claws.

We arrive at the room he shares with Abel and I wait outside while he goes in. I don't hate Abel anymore, but seeing them together still stings. Old habits die hard.

He's back a minute later, holding a large bottle of what passes for vodka on the Sleipnir. He tips it back and takes a long drink before shoving it at me.

"Happy fucking birthday, kiddo. C'mon."

He leads me in a big, winding loop around the mostly-empty dorms, up and down floors with no apparent destination. I can tell he's getting impatient again, but I'm content to walk in companionable silence and pass the bottle back and forth until we're back on my hall. 

The door to my room opens and Phobos comes out carrying his pillow, glares at us, then flounces past, huffing, "You two better not make a mess! And don't touch my stuff! And NO SMOKING!"

I give Cain a questioning look. He grins, lights a cigarette, blows the smoke towards Phobos's retreating back, and knocks on the door.

There's a sound like "Eep!" from inside, and then the door opens again to reveal Ethos. 

"SURPRISE!!!"

He makes like he's going to throw his arms around me, then sees me startle backwards into Cain and settles for grabbing my hands.

"Happy birthday, Deimos! Happy Equinox!"


	2. Chapter 2

I blink at him, dumbfounded for a moment, then slowly, cautiously hug him.

Peeking over his shoulder, I can see a blanket spread out on the floor with two plates, silverware, big clear glasses with long, delicate-looking stems, and...

"Candles? You're gonna set the fire alarm off, dumbass," Cain informs Ethos. 

Ethos's big blue eyes go even bigger. "Oh no! I didn't think of that!"

Cain snickers. "And I thought Navigators were supposed to be smart."

He locates the heat detector on the ceiling, then jumps up and punches it. It makes a faint peeping noise, which stops when he hits it again.

"There. Problem solved. Now pay up so I can get outta here, Fluffy."

Staring in dismay at the heat detector and then glaring at Cain, Ethos looks annoyed enough to actually say something, and if they get in an argument, Cain will never go away. So I kiss Ethos to distract him. It works just as well as always, making him jump just a little and then start to melt into me.

Behind me, Cain makes theatrical gagging noises, then claps his hands like you do to scare rats out of your bed. 

"Hey! HEY! CIGS!"

Ethos breaks away, digs a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, and hands it to Cain.

"Remember the other part of the deal too!"

I have to turn away to hide my grin. He's so cute when he tries to be stern.

Cain rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I won't start shit with the cyclops tonight. IF he stays away from me and Abel."

"He will," Ethos assures him, still scowling.

Cain raises an eyebrow as his grin returns.

"Paid him off too, huh?" he says, and reaches out to pat Ethos on the head.

I raise my arm to block him without even knowing I'm doing it.

You have yours, Cain. This one is mine.

I think he's going to be pissed for a second, but then he laughs and messes up my hair instead.

"You kids be good now. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Now there's a contradiction.


	3. Chapter 3

As soon as the door shuts behind Cain, Ethos grabs my hand again and pulls me toward the little picnic setup, talking excitedly.

"I couldn't get rabbit to make that stew you told me about, but I got salmon! You like fish, right? Well, this is cloned directly from a free-swimming original that actually lived in the Pacific!"

I don't know what half of that means, but the pinkish orange cross sections of something scaly he's scooped onto our plates smell really good. He follows them with a pile of little round green things.

"I don't know if you like peas, but I like peas! Do you like peas?"

I don't know. In my experience, green food is usually rotten.

"These are peas!"

Yeah, I'd guessed.

I pick one up and examine it. It's like a seed, except soft. The skin comes off easily, revealing two smooth little halves and the start of a stem. So I guess it is a seed. I eat one of the halves. It's a little weird, but not bad. I think I do like peas.

I nod and Ethos beams. 

"Oh, good! I wanted to give you things you like! Because it's your birthday! And I..you know...care about you."

Yeah, I'd guessed that too. It's still a new experience for me, but I could definitely get used to it.

He is such a fucking lamb. Soft and sweet and wouldn't last a day where I come from. I can't remember when I stopped being disgusted by his weakness and he became something precious for me to protect. 

I smile and pat his hand, then pick up one of the weird skinny glasses and peer at it suspiciously. Whatever's in there is bubbling even though it's cold.

"Oh! It's champagne! I mean, it's not really, but..."

And he goes into a whole spiel about how the stuff is called something different if it's not made in the original place, but most people call it the wrong thing, blah blah blah until I chug it and kiss him again.

He pours me more. I realize I'm being rude and offer him the bottle Cain gave me. He takes it and glances at it with evident trepidation, then visibly steels himself and tips it up for a swig before I can tell him he doesn't have to.

He's coughing, big round eyes and big round nose running, and before I know what I'm doing I've got my arm around his shoulders and my other hand holding my glass of bubbly stuff up to his soft lips. He sips, then sneezes into the glass before I can pull it away. Eww.

I guess I should give him water. I leap to my feet and start for the sink, but a surprisingly strong hand grabs me by the back of my pants and I let it.

"Oh, Deimos! Sweetie, I'm OK!"

And drunk after 30 seconds. For fuck sake.

I let him keep pulling on my pants just to see what he'll do...

**Author's Note:**

> I promised Dokidokibaka a birthday fic with Deimos/Ethos.
> 
> Last year. 
> 
> Her birthday is in July.
> 
> Shut up.


End file.
